1. Background of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a serial array of battery cells used in aerospace applications, and particularly to a system for shorting around or bypassing one of the cells in the serial array when it has failed thereby providing a continuous electrical battery circuit despite failure of one or more of the battery cells.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,173, CELL BYPASS SWITCH, by Edward Rudoy and Leslie Kerek, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, relates generally to a cell bypass switch including a sensor for determining when a given battery has failed. This results in an alternate current path being established around the failed battery cell thereby permitting the remainder of the battery cells to continue their function. More specifically, the patented bypass switch includes a pair of collapsible collet fingers connected to an electrical pin contact which is positioned on the axis of a pair of socket contacts. Upon the withdrawal of two spring-loaded plungers, the collapsible fingers of the collet member pass through an elongated narrow channel resulting in the release of an electrical pin contact. At this time, the pin contact provides electrical continuity with the socket contacts to form an electrical circuit bypassing the failed cell. Although the patented device operates to provide the desired cell array operation, it can be improved especially as to reliability. First of all, part of the patented apparatus includes a pair of springs (37) for operation which would be more reliable if replaced by a single spring. Similarly, whereas the patented device includes a pair of plungers (36) and (136) which are individually operated, replacement with a single plunger assembly substantially reduces the possibility of apparatus failure.